Malawi ‘serial rapist’ with HIV virus jailed 14 years for defiling 4-year-old girl
A 45-year-old man, who completed jail terms in 2003 and 2008 for defilement and attempted rape, respectively was Tuesday slapped again with 14 years imprisonment with hard labour (IHL) for defiling a four-year-old girl at Likoma Island.
Nkhata Bay First Grade Magistrate Court heard that Dalitso Khanje, currently living with HIV, defiled the girl (name withheld) on May 21 this year near Likoma Aerodrome. She was on her way from a nursery school with a friend.
When Khanje met the girls, he stopped them and gave K20 to each girl before pulling the victim to a nearby bush.
The court further learnt that after he successfully forced himself on the young girl, Khanje advised the victim not to disclose the matter and she complied with the evil instruction.
However, the following day when the mother wanted to bathe her, she saw semen on the girl’s private parts. The mother also observed that the girl had difficulties to walk.
She then took the girl for medical examinations at St Peters Mission Hospital which proved defilement. Subsequently, Khanje was arrested.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Fungulani told the court that it was not the first time for Khanje to commit such an offence.
“In the year 2003, the same man was sent to jail for four and a half years after he was also convicted of defilement,” he said.
He added that after completing the jail term, Khanje was at it again in 2008 when the Magistrate Court also slapped him with a 60-month custodial sentence for attempting rape.
Khanje pleaded guilty to the charge and was subsequently convicted.
In mitigation, he prayed for court leniency as he is on Anti-retroviral Treatment (ART) and that he takes care of his old mother and siblings.
“I’m asking for court leniency because I’m HIV positive and I take ARVs,” Khanje said.
But the state pleaded with the court for a stiffer penalty arguing that he might have infected the little girl with HIV.
“My Worship, the convict is not the first offender. He is on ART, but went on to defile an innocent young girl,” Sergeant Fungulani said.
Passing judgment, First Grade Magistrate Billy Wankaya Ngosi had no kind words to the convict for defiling the girl despite his HIV positive status.
Ngosi blamed the conduct of the serial rapist like a hyena and deserved no mercy
“The behaviour of Khanje is like of a hyena that does not deserve any measure of mercy,” Magistrate Ngosi said.
He, therefore, slapped Nkhanje with 14 years IHL, saying the sentence should serve as a lesson to himself as well as other would-be-offenders.
Khanje hails from Chalinda Village in the area of traditional authority Mkumpha in Likoma District.--Malawi News Agency
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